Some conventional image capture devices (such as digital cameras) have the function of recognizing a subject. Such an image capture device can recognize the subject by performing various kinds of controls, including automatic exposure (AE) and autofocusing (AF), continuously, thereby enabling the user to shoot the subject on the best condition.
Patent Document No. 1 discloses an image capture device with a monitor screen to display a subject image. If there are multiple subjects on the same screen, this image capture device allows the user to choose one of the subjects he or she wants to shoot. As a result, the best AE and AF controls can be done on that chosen subject.
Specifically, the image capture device disclosed in Patent Document No. 1 includes area setting means 3 for setting an area on the screen using an image signal that has been supplied from an image sensor 2, line-of-sight sensing means 8, 9, 11 for sensing the shooter's line of sight, and area choosing means 12 for choosing, if multiple areas have been set by the area setting means, a targeted one of the areas in accordance with the line-of-sight information provided by the line-of-sight sensing means. If multiple areas have been set on the screen, this image capture device chooses automatically the targeted one of those areas in accordance with the line-of-sight information.